Automatic switch for reversing gas-engines.



I. M. RHBTT. AUTOMATIC gwncfi FOB EEVBRSING ms ENGI ES.-

AE'PLIUATION Him samm, 190d. RENEWED JULY 21, 1909.

Patented Mar. 1,1910.

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a", M. RHETT. AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR REVERSING GAS ENGINES. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.10, 1907, RENEWED JULY 21, 190B.

@5Ufim% Patented Mar. 1', mm

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01E BEAUIE'DRT, SOUTH CAROLINA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1907, Serial No. 392,168. Renewed July 21, 1909. Serial No. 508,773.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. Rnn'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaufort, in the county of Beaufort and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto matic Switches forlteversin ,Gas-Engines; and I do hereby declare the ollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic switches for reversing gas engines, and the object of my invention is to produce such a device which shall be certain in action, simple to construct, and not liable to get out of order and cheap to manufacture.

To these ends my invention consists-in then combination of parts hereinafter more fully disclosed, and particularly pointed 1 out in the claims- Referring to the accompanying. drawings formin a part of this spec1fication-Figure 1 SlOWS in sideview an ordinary ball gas engine provided with means adapted to operate theswitch con.- trolling the igniting circuit and. showing said switch in opened and closed positions. Fig. 2 is a like view, showing the governor in :ection, and the switch closed- Fig. 3.is a s ctional view taken "along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isadetached view of the nose of the governor. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the end of the bracket carrying the slotby which it is fastened to the base of the stand supporting the governor.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the views.

' It is well known to those operating gas or nlosion engines that the other internal ex,

same may be readily reversed, and conse quently the propeller driven thereby, without the employment of any clutch or similar device on the said propeller, or on the main shaft of the engine. llhis reversing of the engine and consequent reversing of the propeller in motors of this type may be accomplished, as is well known, by proper adjustment of the s arking points and b a skilful throwing ot the switch, controlling the ignition circuit, at the roper time. But to successively reverse engines in this manner requires a cool head and a skilful manipulation. in cases of emergency both of these -ceedingly objectionable qualities are almost sure to leave the operator, and, therefore, this method is exand uncertain. By my device I cause this reversing of the engine to take lace with certainty and automatically. '1 rat is to say, it is common in internal combustion engines, to so arrange thesparking apparatus that the ignitiori of the gas will automatically occur at a predetermined point in the rotary travel of the fly wheel. Means are, also, commonly provlded, by which this point of ignition may be adjusted either forward or back, within certain limits; and it is generally conceded that the' best time for the ignition is that occurring just before the crank reaches the upper center; the momentum of the fly wheel being relied on to carry the crank -past the dead center, while the force of the explosion is being developed. By thus igniting the gas immediately before the piston reaches its upward stroke, the increased force due to the compression of the gas by the piston while completing its stroke, is added to the force of the explosion which is delivered to the piston after the stroke has been completed and after it has begun its 'return stroke, all as is well known.

My invention provides a device which operates in unison with the ignition means already on the engine, and is placed in the same electric circuit. It provides means for opening the circuit at will, and such opening causes theengine to slow dhwn, owing to thc sparking being stopped, and therefore causes the fly wheehto likewise slow down. hen

the fly wheel, however, slows down to such a degree that it does not have sufficient momentum to carry the crank past the dead center, before the force of the explosion has been developed, then my invention causes the circuit to be automatically reclosed, thus reestablishing the ignition sparks, and insuring the delivery of the force of the explosion onthe piston while it is yet completing its up stroke. The result is, the piston and crank are forced back and the engine reversed.

In the drawings A represents any suitable support, B any suitable standard rising therefrom, O a bearing adapted to recivc the shaft D. To this shaft. D is secured the collar E of the governor by any suitable means. The said collar E is provided with the projection F surrounded by the spring (i.

Over the projection fitsthc nose H of the Patented Mar. i, rem.-

from the engine Q shown in Fig.

governor, which is provided with the lugs J to which are ivoted the levers K carrying the balls or isk weights L. The collar E is provided with holes into which are secured the'lugsM to which are pivoted the links N, said links being thereby connected to'the collar P which is secured to the said collar E by any suitable means; This collar P receives motionffrom anysuitable moving part of the engine. For example, it may be driven as a friction wheel .in contact with the fly wheel of the engine, or it may be driven from the fly wheel by a belt. However it is driven, it serves to transmit motion to the governor. The nose H of the governoris provided with the holes 4, and the collar E is provided with the guide rods R shown in Fig. 3, which rods are adapted. to pass through said holes-Q, and serve as guides for the nose H as it reciprocates upon the projection F under the control of the spring G. The said nose H is conveniently cut away in its rim as shown in Fig. 4 to provide the lugs J above'described, and pins S pass through the same. A collar T encircles the projection F where itjoins the collar E and is secured to said pro ection by a set screw .U. This collar is useful in adjusting the tension of the spring G.

T re resents a bracket slotted at U and se= cured y any suitable means V to the suport A, and this bracket carriesthe switch lever \V pivoted to the lug A and provided with the insulating disk B. This switch lever has a screw threaded portion C along which the weight D is capable of adjustment.

E and F are switch terminals, and G represents the ordinary spring cleft of this type of knife switches.

'H represents an adjustable stop on the base of the switch, against which the switch lever bears when in open position, as shown in Fig. 1.

' The operation ofmy device is as fol- 1ows.:'-The switch lever W is normally in its closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, v and when it is desired to reverse the engine the same is slowed down by throwing the switch lever to its dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, with its body portion resting against the stop H, in which position the center of gravity of the weight D on the switch lever, lies in a plane passing beyond said stop, and, therefore, said weight tends to holdthe lever against the said stop, and consequently tendsto hold the switch open. As the-engine slows down, however, the governor balls L, of course, will close in, as is well known, and the nose H of the governor under the influence of the spring G, will be -ing that of the weight l),

thrust outward. As soon as the tip of the nose H strikes the insulating plate B on the leverW, however, it will turn said lever on its pivot, and us soon as the center of rav- -ity of the Wei ht D occupies a plane 0 r the other side of t 1e pivot of said lever \V it will cause said switch lever to fall and close the igniting circuit. I

In practice the supporting bracket T is adjusted along the base A andsecured by the fastening V in such a position that this tipping of the lever W will take place ust at the monYent when the balls L have closed in to that distance, which marks the proper loss of momentum in the fly wheel. When this adjustment has been secured through the means just described then a final ad ustment, if necessary, can be made by mov ng the collar T and thus regulating the tension of the spring G. In case any further adjustment is found desirable the stop H may be moved around its pivot screw, and the screw then set up to hold the said stop in its newly adjusted position. If the stop l'l should then be turned-to the left, as seen in Fig. l, the weighted lever would rest against the same in a position farther to the left than that shown in dotted lines in said ligure, and since its center of gravity,

would be lower, it would require a greater compression of the spring G to throw said lever over and close the circuit, than it would, were the stop H left in its full line position. in other words, the adjustment of the stop ll may be used to supplement the adjustment of the spring (i. A few trials readily-show the operator just what adjustments the vurious parts should have. But owing to the fact-that the liy wheel slows down very suddenly in each revolution, just before the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the nose H always trips the lever W just at the right moment. It results vfrom this action that even a rough adjustment. of the parts insures the sure and certain o eralion o1 this automatic reversing switc 1, and the same need be given no attention after a. few trials have demonstrated that the parts are properly adjusted.

It will thus be seennthat I have produced an exceedingly si1nple,.-cheap and certain device which can readily accomplish the reversing of engines in motor boats, electric motor machinery, and in any other place or,

til it is again opened' for alike purpose.

includcarr' ed by said governor mechanism controlling said switch, said [means adapted to enema Especial attention is called to the use of this device in automobiles, as well as in motor boats, because it requires such a simple and small change in the parts that are now used on such machines.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction shown, nor to operating my switch by the regular governor of the engine, dynamo, or motor it is desired to reverse. For it is evident that the governor illustrated may be in addition to the regular governor en'iployed on such machines and merely suitably connected to any moving part of the same, in

.which case its sole function would likewise be to close the switch at the'proper moment. In either of these latter cases the collar P is useful to impart motion to the governor mechanism by means of a belt suitably a plied to the machine to be reversed, intie shaft I) maybe rigidly attached to any suit able revolving parts.

In all cases it will be observed that the essence of my invention is a governor mechanism, capable of automatically throwing a switch, and closing a circuit, without reversing the same, and at the proper moment to reverse a revolving mechanism.

What I claim 1. In a revolving mechanism, having an electric circuit for controlling the revolution of the same, a governor mechanism operated by said revolving mechanism, a switch provided with a Weight, and an insulating part for controlling said circuit, a stop against which-said switch contacts, and means whereby said switch is automatically closed, and said revolving mechanism reversed when the engine slows downto a predetermined scribed.

2. In a motor, having an electric circuit controlling the revolutions of the same, a switch provided with an adjustable weight, and an insulating part, controlling said circuit, a pivoted stop against which said switchycdntacts, a governor mechanism operatedby said motor, and reciprocating means close said circuit when theinotor is slowed down,to a predetermined degree and to thereby reverse the said motor, substantially as, described.

.3. In a gas engine, having aneleetric circuit controlling the ignition of the as operating said engine, a switch provi ed with an adjustable weight, and an insulating partcontrolling said circuit, a stop against which said switch contacts, a overnor mechanism operated by said engine and carrying reciprocating means adapted-to control said switch,-.-and an adjusta le su porting means for said switch where y provided with portion, and an insulating contact with said nose,

degree, substantially as de-.

when the motor is slowed down to a predetermined degree said switch will be automatically closed and the engine reversed, substantially as described.

at. In an internal combustion ing an electric the revolutions engine, havignition circuit controlling of said engine, a switch W insulating part B controlling said i ition circuit,a centrifugal governor mec anidm operated. by said engine, and provided with a reciprocating part H, adapted to contact with said part B, and a stop II against which said switch rests when open, whereby 'when the engine is slowed down to a predetermined degree the said part H will automatically cause the said circuit to be closed and the engine reversed, substantially as described.

5. In an internal combustion engine provided with an electric ignition circuit, the combination of a overnor mechanism proa weight D and with an vided with centrii'ugal weights, a reci roeating .nose, and a spring G, with a switch provided with a threaded portion, a weight adapted to be adjusted alon said threaded isk adapted to and a stop against which said switch is adapted 'to rest, whereby when the said switch is opened and the engine-slowed down to a predetermined degree, the said nose may automatically close said switch and cause the said engines to be reversed, substantially as described.

-6. In an internal combustion engine provided with an ignition circuit and a governor mechanism having centrifugal weights, a reci rocating nose, a spring, and an adj ustablb collar, the combination of a switch adapted to control said ignition circuit with an adjustable bracket and a stop supported by said bracket, said switch having an in sulating disk, a threaded portion, and a weight, adapted to be adjusted along said threaded portion, the said stop being so located that when the said switch contacts therewith the center of gravity of the said weight will occupy a plane beyond said stop and thereby cause said switch to be held open, and the parts being so arranged that when the engine is slowed down to a predetermined degree, the said center of gravity of the said weight will be thrown on the opposite side of said stop, and the ignition circuit thereby automaticallyclo'sed and the engine reversed, substantially as described. 1

In testimony whereof, I aliix my-signature, in presence of two witnesses.

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